Presence is the New Scarcity
In 1971, Herbert Simon coined the term attention economy. His point: in a world overflowing with information, attention is the scarce resource. Scarcity drives value.
Still true… but the rules have shifted. We don’t just live in an information-rich world anymore… we live in a content-saturated one. You can go viral and still feel invisible. You can be everywhere and still belong nowhere.
So if attention isn’t the lever anymore… what is?
I’ve been reading The Curve. Some examples feel dated (Lady Gaga giving away a music video used to be revolutionary), but its central idea still hits:
“When something collapses in value, something else rises… The key is not just to notice what is becoming cheaper, but to look for what is becoming more valuable as a result of the shift.”
And let’s be honest… recorded music is no longer scarce. On streaming, it’s background noise. It’s “ambient culture.” AI acts like Velvet Sundown can rack up millions of plays in weeks.
But music hasn’t lost its value… it’s just moved.
Today, the real scarcity is direct connection.
The moments that can’t be copied, cloned, or scraped into a dataset.
The experiences you design for the people who actually care.
That’s where the Go Direct advantage lives... and livestreaming builds directly on it. It’s presence in its purest form, the closest you can get without being in the same physical room.
Go Live with Your People
Starting this week, you can livestream directly from your Sleeve artist account, no extra gear, no complicated setup.
Whether it’s a Q&A, a first-listen party, or a casual hang from your living room, livestreaming is now part of your direct-to-fan toolkit.
We built it to make presence easier.
Real-time. Low-lift. High-impact.
Upcoming Livestream
To kick things off, Anna Lidell is hosting a live session:
Future-Proof Your Music Career: Why Newsletters Beat the Algorithm
📅 Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Streaming pays pennies. Social platforms hide your posts. But a newsletter puts you in direct contact with the fans who care most — and can turn followers into steady income.
In just 30 minutes, Anna will share practical tips, case studies, and tools to help you use newsletters to build deeper connections, own your audience, and create sustainable revenue. You’ll leave with ideas you can put to work right away.
Artist Spotlights
Fenja
Fenja posted on social that Sleeve subscribers get a free ticket to one of her spring tour shows. Within 24 hours, she’d gained enough subscribers to say:
“I just realized that with your support on Sleeve, I can now work one whole day less… That’s pretty wild. It means I already have more time freed up to make music!”
Her music? In her words: “A universe for sensitive, quirky, wild beings.”
→ Explore
Wally Badarou
Wally’s career spans legendary moments in music history, and he’s still pushing forward. On Sleeve, he’s sharing reflections, rare throwbacks, and previews of new music:
“I’ve decided to step a little closer to you. I’ve always believed music is about connection, not just consumption. So this is a space where I’ll begin sharing more directly, more personally, with those of you who care to listen.”
Afenginn
A six-piece fusing clarinet, violin, brass, and drums into something both cinematic and primal: Nordic folk meets klezmer energy. They’re windowing releases so Sleeve subscribers hear them first.
If you believe connection is the new scarcity, start building yours. Follow these artists... and others on Sleeve... to go direct.
Stay tuned,
Anna
